asked the Minister for Health if he will make a statement concerning the hospital conditions in Leix-Offaly as ascertained during his recent inspection; further, whether his Department will undertake to have carried out whatever improvements are necessary in the case of each of the public institutions which he visited.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Hospital Conditions in Leix-Offaly.
As a result of my recent visit to Leix-Offaly I am satisfied that with the exception of certain public assistance institutions the hospital facilities in these centres are reasonably satisfactory.
Any proposals which the responsible local authorities may submit to my Department for the improvements which may be considered necessary will receive sympathetic consideration.
Would the Minister undertake to have the cobwebs shaken off the files of his predecessor in the Custom House and sanction certain improvements at Shane Sanatorium, Laoighis? I understand that for ten or 15 years past recommendations have been going to the Custom House for sanction which were not returned to the local authority. May I remind the Minister that his attention was directed to this matter by the county manager of Laoighis and would he see that attention is now given to these improvements to St. Bridget's?
I am aware that representations have been made over a long period regarding alterations to be carried out at sanatoria. However, as the Deputy may or may not be aware, we have been working on a decision with regard to the most necessary projects which must be carried out during the next seven years, taking the existing shortages of materials and labour into consideration. Also we have had to consider certain reorganisation proposals with regard to tuberculosis facilities generally and accommodation in regional sanatoria generally. In view of these considerations, Shane Sanatorium will take a possibly different part in the whole of the sanatoria and tuberculosis programme in the country, and until we have finally come to our conclusions in this regard we cannot sanction all the proposals submitted by local authorities. We hope, however, that in a matter of about a week we will have made up our minds quite clearly on the whole sanatoria and tuberculosis programme.
May I draw the Minister's attention——
Is this a supplementary question?
Is he aware that the proposals of Laoighis County Council were in regard to painting and minor repairs of the institution which cannot be done without the Minister's sanction? In view of the fact that this work is urgently required and must be carried out, will the Minister see that his Department will not stand in the way of the local authority in carrying out the improvements?
I think the Deputy must be misinformed. The proposals were for 21 additional beds and reconditioning of the premises, the provision of a residence for the medical officer and additional accommodation for the nursing staff and, finally, painting and minor repairs which we shall sympathetically consider, but the only matters to be considered at the moment, I think, are the major proposals.